International condemnation as Russia recognizes two separatist territories in Ukraine
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – In an urgent session of the UN Security Council, yesterday, the United States and other European states condemned Russia’s actions and denounced Russia’s recognition of two breakaway regions in the east of Ukraine as well as giving orders to deploy forces there.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The US and its allies considered Putin’s decision as a blatant violation of the international law and a pretext for war.
Hours after the Russian decision, the UN Security Council convened an emergency session over Ukraine.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, said Putin’s claim that Russian forces entering those regions are “peacekeepers” is “nonsense,”, adding, “We know what they really are.”
The Ukrainian delegate to the UN Sergei Kislitsia stressed Ukraine’s international borders will “remain as such” despite Russia’s declarations and threats.
The Russian ambassador to the UN Security Council Vassily Nebenzia referred to the separatists regions as the “Luhansk People’s Republic” (LPR) and the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DPR), adding Russia is open for a diplomatic solution and stressed his defense to the breakaway regions was to protect and preserve those people in the face of the Ukrainian “aggression”.
Early on Tuesday, spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova said on YouTube “even in the hardest moments, we remain open to diplomacy for a diplomatic solution. Our stance remains the same. We still support the track of diplomacy.”
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet on Thursday his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Geneva even after Russia recognized the two pro-Russian separatist regions.
Putin’s troops in the east of Ukraine is seen as a pretext for dispatching some of the forces deployed at the Ukrainian border.
Thomas Greenfield said Putin’s speech is but a series of outrageous, false claims that were aimed at creating a pretext for war.
In a statement to Agence France-Press (AFP), the White House spokesperson said the US will impose sanctions on Moscow on Tuesday.
“The Security Council must be united in calling on Russia to de-escalate immediately and respect its commitment,” Barbara Woodward, permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the UN, said.